Best-in-the-series-so-far levels of good, which is surprising considering we’ve had an entry (almost) every year since its debut in 2007. Those 11 years have been a constant cycle of reinvention and refinement, introducing, tweaking, or entirely dropping mechanics every few years to keep stabbing Templars in the face feel fresh. With Odyssey being so damn good, we thought it would be worth looking back on where it came from and remember some of the ways, for better or worse, that Assassin’s Creed has dabbled in change since 2007. Competitive Multiplayer Introduced in the third entry, Brotherhood, competitive multiplayer was – in theory – an intriguing adaptation of the series’ focus on hiding in plain sight. Players picked one of a colourful roster of Animus avatars and then dropped into bustling crowds full of NPC doppelgängers. From there, the goal was to watch the crowds and find your target, who could be picked out through erratic, human-like … [Read more...] about Where did the missing features of Assassin’s Creed go?
Camp america where are the camps
Red Dead Redemption 2 release date, PC version, online – all the latest details
What is the Red Dead Redemption 2 release date? And will Red Dead Redemption 2 be on PC? Will there be Red Dead Online multiplayer? We answer all these questions and more. The biggest question of the year is when is Red Dead Redemption 2 coming out? Well, probably. It’s going to be a hugely popular game, either way. The original Red Dead was, as you may well know, a game from 2010 that became one of the crowning achievements of that console generation. Yup, that’s right, consoles: Rockstar decided not to grace the PC with their incredible Wild West open-world drama, filled with betrayals, standoffs, and fancy hats. Don’t be too sad though: a new game in the western series – Red Dead Redemption 2 – is on its way, and hopefully the PC won’t be forgotten this time. As the console launch approaches, more Red Dead Redemption 2 gameplay, setting, and characters information are starting to surface. So saddle up, pardner: here’s everything we know … [Read more...] about Red Dead Redemption 2 release date, PC version, online – all the latest details
Watching the world burn: The incongruous politics of The Dark Knight
Batman isn’t the star of The Dark Knight. That’s plain old conventional wisdom at this point. But Christian Bale’s foil, Heath Ledger’s iconic Joker, isn’t the star either. Not really. Nor is it Harvey Dent, Gotham’s white knight, or Jim Gordon, the archetypal honest cop, or Rachel Dawes, the doomed idealist, or Lucius Fox, the steady hand, or Alfred, the faithful servant. The real star of The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan’s cinematic superhero landmark, is the concept of ethical behavior — and the performance stinks. Written by Nolan and his brother Jonathan, who’s currently taking an equally high-minded and heavy-handed approach to ethical issues in Westworld, The Dark Knight is fixated on the opposition between right and wrong, order and chaos, and hope and despair, all to a degree no other superhero movie as come close to touching. While most costumed-and-caped adventures are content to let such issues stay subtextual, with … [Read more...] about Watching the world burn: The incongruous politics of The Dark Knight
NASCAR Heat 3 deals the dirt to consoles this fall
NASCAR’s next video game is hitting the dirt. Hard. NASCAR Heat 3 returns to PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One on Sept. 7, and it will bring a new dirt track series to the game’s multiplayer modes, expanding the racing action and introducing the sport’s smaller track, dirt-oval roots to the career mode, the mainstay feature for most players. NASCAR Heat 2 last year gave closed-wheel racers a dirt option when it brought in the Camping World Truck series to the game (which races a week from Wednesday on the rowdy, unpaved half-mile of Ohio’s Eldora Speedway). Eldora was one of the game’s most popular tracks in multiplayer, said 704 Games’ Sean Burke. As 704 and developer Monster Games looked for ways to expand the series, dirt racing was a clear fan favorite, and therefore the best way to bring in something new, Burke said. NASCAR Heat 3’s “Xtreme Dirt Tour,” which is a racing series wholly invented for the video game, joins the … [Read more...] about NASCAR Heat 3 deals the dirt to consoles this fall
Friday the 13th Patch Makes Counselors Weaker
IllFonic has released a new patch for Friday the 13th, with the update adding a new map, a new Jason, and several combined changes that ultimately make the camp counselors much weaker. Gamers already knew that the new patch would make Jason stronger as a whole, but it wasn’t known that counselors in Friday the 13th would get nerfed at the same time Jason received a significant buff. A post on the official forums revealed that pocket knives are now far less available throughout each map, though certain special counselors would still be able to spawn with them. There will also be less frequent spawning for items like medical spray, wrenches, and machetes. In contrast, Jason will now spawn with 2 additional throwing knives, and both his movement speed and grabbing range have been slightly increased. In short, it’s a lot more terrifying to be a camp counselor again. As of now, both the new Jason and the Pinehurst map are available for both online and offline play with no … [Read more...] about Friday the 13th Patch Makes Counselors Weaker